I had planned on doing this post back when I got married and found I had to take another passport and license photo. I completely forgot about it until my recently married friend mentioned that she too just got her new license, and sans makeup or brushed hair found herself frantically taking her photo. She laughed about making the lady take her picture multiple times, but I can definitely relate as I did that too! Hey, it’s something you’ll have to live with for awhile, so why not treat it as a photoshoot? Here are a few quick tips on how to take the best license photo, school photo, or passport photo….or at least avoid looking like this.

Photo Source: mnbikingvikings.blogspot.com

Checklist DONT’S for the Best License Photo, School Photo, or Passport Photo:

Don’t wear crazy large patterns or stripes. They don’t tend to photograph well.

Don’t wear something too trendy, meaning clothes, makeup, and hairstyle. You can have a passport for up to 10 years, and as we learned from the past, you may get sick of crimped hair and blue eyeshadow!

Don’t wear anything too low cut or too high neck. Sometimes the photos are really close up and if you’re wearing something with a high neck (let’s just stay away from turtlenecks in general, k?), you’ll look like you literally have no neck. You also don’t want the “ladies” popping out….unless that’s your plan on getting out of a traffic ticket! Ha!

Don’t wear statement jewelry. Sure, that ginormous chunky rhinestone necklace may be “adorbs,” but when thinking about these photos classy and understated is best. Simple stud earrings are usually my choice.

Don’t wear something without sleeves. Trust me, even the tiniest of girls may not photograph as well if wearing spaghetti straps, sleeveless, and definitely not a tube top (you’ll look naked!). This mainly goes back to how the photo is cropped, so it’s more flattering if you have sleeves…even short sleeves.

Example of my license photo following the tips below!

Checklist DO’S for the Best License Photo, School Photo, or Passport Photo:

Do think about what kind of top you’re wearing. Some photos you won’t see it, others you will (I’ve had license photos where you can and can’t see it, and my passport and school photos you can see it). I usually go with a solid color, either bright but not neon bright (think cherry red) or neutral. I think a color like navy or cherry red makes the picture less boring, but you can’t go wrong with neutral.

Do put on makeup. And when you put it on, make sure you actually put more makeup on than you normally would in real life. From my days of professional dance teams and modeling, I learned that eyeliner, lots of mascara (or false eyelashes if you’re going to the extreme with stage makeup – not necessary for this), more blush than you normally would, and some kind of color on your lips is best. The lighting on these pics will not be great, and this will prevent you from looking washed out.

Do wear your hair like you normally would. Don’t do some crazy style or go to the extra effort for beauty pageant hair, you still want to look like your everyday self. Remember, people will be looking at your i.d. to identify YOU. I usually just wear mine straight and down and pull it in front on both sides. If you pull it back or wear it up, you may end up looking like you have no hair.

Do ask to retake the picture if you see it and really just can’t live with it. Of course do this at your digression as it may not make sense if you have a line behind you, but I purposely get these pictures done at times that I know it will not be as busy. It’s not a weird request, just don’t ask them to do it more than 2 or 3 times max.

Do SMILE! Now is not the time to throw the camera your best pouty face. Keep your eyes open and bright, and smile big. 🙂

Do you have any other Do’s or Dont’s to add to this list, or a funny experience you had when taking one of these photos? Let me know in a comment below!

It’s the third edition of a StyleTrials Valentine’s Day post! WOW, where has the time gone?! In the past, I had shown Vday looks and a Valentine’s Day nail art tutorial. Today I wanted to inspire you with a few more style options that will make your Valentine swoon!

You can mix metals and spikes with red, leather, vamp or red lips, and/or add in a funky print like Cheetah to edge up the look! If you pair that with classic designs such as pencil skirts and polished pointed toe heels, you’ll achieve a sophisticated yet edgy vibe. For a funkier style, do the above but pair it with miniskirts and Kitschy motifs!

Although I liked the Garnier BB Cream I previously did a review on, I found that I favored this CC Cream. I liked that I still got the ease of applying multiple solutions (SPF, color, moisture, pore minimizer, etc.) with one swipe and that it’s more natural for my skin. It works for all skin types, and comes in Light/Medium (what I used) and Medium/Deep shades. It’s one product that I can use as I’m transitioning from hot to cold seasons, without having to worry about too much/too little coverage or needing a “tanner” skin base.

The only downside is that of course Origins is more expensive than drugstore brands, but I feel it’s better quality and a little goes a long way. The lipstick as I mentioned is AWESOME, especially since I am usually a gloss girl. This line is not heavy or sticky, and is really moisturizing. It actually has shea butter and grapeseed oil to hydrate.

The products also smell great, with the CC Cream having the signature Origins spa-like scent, and the lipstick having a minty scent and flavor.

A few weeks back, I asked you to vote on which Halloween makeup look you wanted to see most. We had a clear winner!

Checkout my tutorial below. This would be the perfect makeup look for any girly, glam, or fantasy type of costume. I’m thinking fairies, mermaids, butterflies, princesses, even 80’s or disco since I used a blue/pink combo.

I love dressing up and themes, so Halloween is one of my favorite holidays! I know there are a ton of costumes out there, but you’ll want to make sure you complete the look with the right makeup/hair. Since this usually falls outside the norm of your everyday makeup, I want to do a fun tutorial or two on some Halloween looks! Based on the most popular choices, I’ve narrowed it down to 5 options and want your feedback! 🙂

Please vote for your favorite Halloween makeup look (or looks, you can select multiple choices) you’d like to see on Style Trials. I’ll keep the poll open until about mid-October, then create some how-to looks based on the most popular choices. You can pick your favorite selection (or selections) to vote for once a day. Thanks for voting!

Which Halloween Makeup Tutorial(s) do you Want to See?

Sparkly, fantasy makeup (great for costumes like fairies and mermaids)!

Summer is ending so now is the time to find great stuff on clearance and stock up for next year.

I live in Florida so it’s still 90+ degree beach weather!

Most importantly, my husband Gary and I are celebrating our 1 year wedding anniversary NEXT WEEK (yayyy!) on an 8-day Carnival cruise! SOO EXCITED!!! 🙂 While cruises are definitely top of my mind right now, I actually know a lot of other people who are going/just went on a cruise too. Makes sense because you can find great deals on cruises in the off-season.

Whatever the case, my universal problem with traveling has always been packing because, let’s face it, I pack way too much….I like options! So I thought long and hard to narrow the essential must-have pieces for a cruise or really any other beachy, tropical getaway. You can use this as a packing guide, or inspiration for items to hunt during these end-of-season sales.

Obviously it doesn’t have to be these exact pieces, but this is a general idea of basics to include. A few tank tops and shorts, a casual sundress, a swimsuit coverup, a nicer outfit you can dress up or down (like the romper), comfy flip flops, and dressier shoes that still look casual (platform wedges).

You’ll want to accessorize with a bag that is fairly neutral so you can wear it with everything, cool sunglasses, and a straw beach hat. Of course you’ll need a few bikini options, and I’d suggest mix-and-match bikinis so you can get more looks out of less pieces. Victoria’s Secret is actually having an end-of season sale right now on their swimwear, so I’d suggest checking it out! I just stocked up.

I recently got a request to do a flawless face tutorial, and I LOVE requests! There are many things that can go into a flawless face, starting with good skincare, but I wanted to focus this tutorial on an everyday makeup routine that’s a perfect base for ANY makeup look. I cover tips and techniques for achieving this look and making it your own, touching on a few beauty tricks. It really depends on how much coverage you’re going for, but for my preference I like a minimal look for everyday, which I showcase in the video. I do mention ways to get heavier coverage though (which I love to do for nighttime or blotchy skin problems), so make sure to watch the entire thing!

I forgot to mention in the video that before you start any flawless face look, you start with a clean, moisturized face. I also like to add face primer to smooth out skin and have makeup last longer.